Helleborus plant named ‘HLR 140’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘HLR 140’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; single light pink and greyed purple bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus orientalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HLR 140’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus orientalis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘HLR 140’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program inGlandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to createnew uniform Helleborus cultivars with unique and attractive flowercoloration and resistance to pests.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in November, 2002 of two unnamedproprietary seedling selections of Helleborus orientalis, not patented.The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor asa single flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment inGlandorf, Germany in February, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany since March,2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘HLR 140’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘HLR 140’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit.    -   3. Long flowering period.    -   4. Single light pink and greyed purple bi-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the newHelleborus are more uniform and more freely flowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborusorientalis ‘HGC Merlin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,705. Plantsof the new Helleborus differ primarily from plants of ‘HGC Merlin’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus have larger flowers than plants        of ‘HGC Merlin’.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Helleborus are light pink and        greyed purple in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘HGC Merlin’        are dark purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Helleborus plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘HLR 140’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘HLR 140’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Glandorf, Germany in 1.5-litercontainers during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse and underconditions which closely approximate commercial Helleborus production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C.to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants wereone year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus orientalis ‘HLR 140’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus orientalis, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus orientalis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two months at 12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at            4° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright            plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 43.9 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 32.2 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Palmately compound with five leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 14.7 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 9.4 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; orbicular in outline.        -   Leaflet shape.—Obovate; lowest leaflets cleft to            three-parted.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Sharply senate.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between            143A and 147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            146A. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker            than N137A; venation, close to 144A. Fully developed leaves,            lower surface: Between 146B and 147B; venation, close to            144B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 14.3 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A; towards the base,            tinged with close to 177A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and habit:.—Single rotate flowers; freely            flowering habit, about eleven flowers developing per plant;            petals not observed.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; plants            flower from January to March in Germany.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About twelve days; flowers            not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 182C; towards the base,            between 144C and 145A to 145B; venation, close to 187A to            187B.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height): About 3.5 cm.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About five in a single whorl. Length:            About 3.8 cm. Width: About 4.1 cm. Shape: Orbicular. Apex:            Rounded to slightly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Towards the margins, between 69D and            76D; central blotch, close to 187A to 187B. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 76D; venation, close to 183A. Fully            opened, upper surface: Towards the margins, close to 75D;            central blotch, close to 187A to 187B; with development,            color becoming closer to 145B towards the margins and            central blotch, close to N77B to N77C. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 75D; venation, close to 183A.        -   Primary peduncles.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length:            About 40.6 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Aspect: Mostly upright,            about 10° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 80.            Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 145D.            Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther            color: Close to 157D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 155A to 155B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About            six. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 148A. Style length: About 1.1 cm.            Style color: Close to 145B tinged with close to 177B to            177C. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Nectaries: Quantity per            flower: About 15. Length: About 9 mm. Diameter, apex: Close            to 4.5 mm. Diameter, base: Close to 1 mm. Color: Close to            N144C; towards the apex, close to N144A; towards the base,            close to 153A.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind.    Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed to tolerate high    temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Helleborus.

1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘HLR 140’ as illustratedand described.